Growing roses in hot climates

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Hot Gardens Newsletter - Spring 2008

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Snowy Palms.  We were amazed to receive an e-mailed photo from a friend in London in early April showing several inches of snow on the small palm tree in her front yard.  (What's this?  A palm tree in a London garden?)  As surprising as the photo is, we know that some palm trees are quite hardy in cold temperatures.

	This photo of a snow-covered Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) was taken in London in early April, 2008.
	Later the same day the snow had melted, but even those few hours of sub-freezing temperatures damaged the fronds slightly, turning them brown on the edges. Photos by Joan Padro.  All Rights Reserved.

The  shrub-size Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis), shown in the photos above, is idea for small gardens and has survived brief cold spells down to 0 F. (-18 C.)  And "brief" is the important factor; their survival depends on daytime warming after a night of chill.  

The Canary Island Date Palm, (Phoenix canariensis) will withstand temperatures to 20 F. (-7 C.) at least for a short time.  After a cold snap the fronds will turn brown and may very slowly regrow.  Its cousin, the Date Palm, ( P. dactylifera), a native of the Middle East, is even hardier.  It has been known to survive and regrow after experiencing temperatures down to 5 F. (-16C.)

The California and Mexican Fan Palm, (Washingtonia filifera and W. robusta), natives of Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, are also rugged, surviving cold weather as low as 18 F. (-8 C.)  Both of the Washingtonias and both Date Palms reach heights of 60 to 100 feet, making them not particularly suitable for residential gardens -- although we see them planted around homes everywhere.

Weather Proofing Palms.  Some people wrap burlap around the trunks of their palms in an effort to shield them from the cold.  Unless, however, the burlap is very thick and wrapped around the heart of the palm -- which is just below the top of the trunk where the fronds emerge -- wrapping will not improve survival chances.  Wrapping the lower part of the trunk will provide no benefit at all.

If you palm tree appears badly damaged after a cold spell, don't rip it out immediately.  Wait a few weeks to see if new green fronds begin to appear.  Palms usually thrive when planted in warm summer months.

Out of Africa.  Gladiolus do not fare well in hot, dry climates, but their African cousins do.  Watsonias, (Watsonia borbonica) which look remarkably similar to the Gladiolus dalenii, shown below, come in a variety of pinks and whites.  The corms can be planted in early Spring for summer blooms.

These Gladiolus (Gladiolus dalenii), South African natives, are a delicate variation on the large, sturdy upright "glads" of summer.  These bloom in Spring.

Colorful Summer Plants.  For a list of plants that bloom reliably during hot summer months in the desert click here.